Michigan governor Rick Snyder took responsibility for the decisions that led to thousands of children in the city of Flint being exposed to lead poisoning. “I apologized already. I took responsibility, and everyone should shut up,” said the governor. To demonstrate his belief in the redemptive power of the words “I’m sorry,” Snyder has offered to pardon all convicted criminals who apologize for their crimes—as long as the criminal is white and any victims were predominantly poor and/or minority. Meanwhile, recent studies have found that people with higher IQs and more education tend to vote Democratic, and now Democrats are wondering if the lead poisoning, which can cause brain damage, is part of a political strategy of the governor’s to increase the Republican voter base.